Is the Build and Deploy a Free Cloud App track and Cloudforce right for you?

It is only a few days before the San Jose Cloudforce and Developer Conference event. The energy is electric as all the final details are being locked down, run through, and polished. This is my favorite time before a big event. There is so much to do, and an amazing flow of enthusiasm.

I mentioned the other day that I am running a track, consisting of three sessions titled "Build And Deploy A Free Cloud App". Throughout the track we will be building a complete application and deploying it into production using the Free Force.com Edition. Since making this blog post, I have received a number of emails and questions by conference attendees as to how much experience is required, who is the target audience etc. I wanted to answer the questions here to make sure everyone comes to the sessions ready to get the most out of the event.

Q: I am new to the Force.com platform, but have been developing in [insert your language of choice here]. Do you think this session would be good for me to attend?

A: Absolutely! The sessions are hands on with the Force.com platform, and developer focused. We are going to assume some general programming knowledge but start from the basics in regards to Force.com development. With that said, we will be moving at a pretty fast pace. We will have all the code available for download to ensure you don't fall behind. And if you do, we have staff to assist. This track is especially designed for you. Bring your laptop, and let's get busy!

Q: I am a Salesforce Administrator, but am interested in broadening my skills. Would this track be appropriate?

A: Yes it would, but you may find some of the Apex and Visualforce sections a little heavy going especially if you have not programmed before. With that said, you want to broaden your skills, and one way to learn programming is to take example code and run it. We will provide all the necessary code, and have staff members to help. To make your experience even better, why not take a few minutes and read the Introduction to Apex and Introduction to Visualforce prior to the session.

Q: There are so many great sessions at the Developer Conference. Can I still attend one of the Build And Deploy a Free Cloud App" if I miss one of the sessions?

A: Absolutely. Of course, this does mean you will miss out on some of the content, but we have that covered too. Each session will be accompanied by detailed article, how-to videos, and downloadable code to get you up and running quickly. Don't worry if you do not have time to catch up during the session, just follow along, enjoy the experience and refer back to the online articles in your own time to work through the sessions. Part of the experience of these sort of events is to listen, learn and generally soak up the vibe.

Q: I have been doing Apex and Visualforce for some time, which this track be suited for me?

A: Yes. You may find some of the initial material a little 'basic' but for many developers on the platform, even experienced ones, developing in a Sandbox and pushing to Production with Change Sets and Deployment Connectors may be entirely new. In addition, we are going to provide some best practices in regards to writing Test Suites vs. Test Cases which you may find insightful.

Watch out for some more information regarding the Build And Deploy a Free Cloud App track in the next day or so, and I look forward to seeing you in San Jose next Tuesday!